This is a scrumptious chicken dish that is good enough for guests but still simple enough to make for weeknight dinners. Don't be afraid of serving it to your children because of the wine because the alcohol evaporates during cooking and all you will have
Chicken:
4 skinless chicken breast fillets
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
5 T. olive oil, divided
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
Sauce:
2 T. olive oil
8 oz. fresh white mushrooms, sliced
3 c. madeira wine (almost a full bottle)
4 cloves minced garlic
2 c. beef broth/stock
2 T. cornstarch dissolved in 2 T. beef broth/stock
1 T. salted butter
¼ t. freshly ground black pepper
Flatten chicken breasts to an even 1/4 inch thickness. Lightly sprinkle both sides of each breast with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet, heat 3 T. olive oil over medium heat until hot. Place chicken breasts in skillet, without overcrowding, and if needed, cook them in separate batches. Cook 3-4 minutes per side, until nicely browned on both sides and no longer pink in center. Transfer cooked chicken to a baking pan; cover to keep warm.
In the same skillet with drippings, add 2 T. olive oil over medium heat until oil is hot. Add mushrooms; stir 1-2 minutes. Add in the remaining sauce ingredients. Stir; bring sauce to a boil.; immediately reduce heat to a simmer; simmer 20 minutes or until sauce is reduced by 1/4 of its original volume. Finished sauce will be dark brown and thick. Transfer sauce to a container; keep warm.
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly on top of chicken breasts. Broil 3-4 minutes or until cheese is golden and melted.
Serve chicken immediately, generously drizzled with Madeira sauce. The dish is delicious with mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice.
4 servings